The Vodafone Junior Warriors will make their fourth trip to Sydney in as many weeks when they face Parramatta in their NYC preliminary final next Saturday (5.15pm kick-off local time; 7.15pm NZT).
The first in the sequence was their final regular season match against Penrith on September 7 followed by the week one play-off against the Sydney Roosters on September 13 and yesterday’s 23-16 semi-final victory over minor premier Newcastle.
After playing at Allianz Stadium in the first two weeks of the finals, the Vodafone Junior Warriors will take on Parramatta at ANZ Stadium this week. The match is the curtain-raiser to the NRL preliminary final between Penrith and Canterbury-Bankstown.
The Vodafone Junior Warriors, who finished eighth in the regular season, are the only side from outside the top four to reach the preliminary finals.
The Eels beat the Vodafone Junior Warriors in both regular season encounters between the two sides, romping to a 50-24 win in the first round and scoring a last-minute try for a 22-19 victory at Mount Smart Stadium in July.
In the other preliminary final on Friday, St George Illawarra meets Brisbane. The winners of the two games meet in the grand final at ANZ Stadium on October 5.
The schedule for week three of the 2014 NRL and NYC finals series is:
FRIDAY
ANZ Stadium, Sydney
NRL | Preliminary Final: South Sydney Rabbitohs v Sydney Roosters, 7.55pm
NYC | Preliminary Final: St George Illawarra v Brisbane Broncos, 5.15pm
SATURDAY
ANZ Stadium, Sydney
NRL | Preliminary Final: Penrith Panthers v Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs, 7.55pm
NYC | Preliminary Final: Parramatta Eels v Vodafone Junior Warriors, 5.15pm
